Estate Planning
Estate Planning Attorney Washington DC
Experienced Estate Lawyer Serving the District of Columbia & Beyond
At The Law Office of Raymond E. Brown, we understand that creating a comprehensive estate plan is a crucial step in securing your family’s future, ensuring wealth preservation, and making sure all of your wishes are carried out the way you intend.
Led by Attorney Raymond Brown, our Annapolis, MD-based law firm proudly serves clients in the District of Columbia, offering tailored estate planning and elder law services. Whether you’re looking to create a will, set up a trust, or navigate complex inheritance laws, our attorneys are committed to helping you protect your assets and provide for your loved ones.
When looking for a reliable and trusted estate planning attorney, Washington DC residents can turn to The Law Office of Raymond E. Brown for dedicated solutions that meet their unique estate planning goals, providing peace of mind for both today and the future. Ready to get started? Call (443) 554-9944 or reach out online to schedule a consultation.
What is Estate Planning?
Estate planning is the process of organizing your assets and deciding how they will be managed and distributed after your death. It involves creating estate plans that outline your wishes for property distribution, healthcare decisions, and guardianship for minor children. One key aspect of estate planning is minimizing estate taxes to ensure that more of your wealth is passed on to your family members rather than being diminished by tax obligations.
Proper estate planning also includes designating beneficiaries, setting up trusts, and making provisions for long-term care, helping to protect your assets and provide for your loved ones’ future.
Understanding Washington D.C. Estate Laws
In Washington D.C., estate law encompasses several key areas:
- Probate Process: This legal procedure validates a deceased person’s will, identifies and appraises assets, settles debts and taxes, and distributes the remaining property to beneficiaries. The Probate Division of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia oversees this process.
- Intestate Succession: If someone dies without a valid will, D.C. law determines how their assets are distributed among surviving relatives. For instance, if a decedent is survived by a spouse and children, the spouse typically receives a portion of the estate, with the remainder divided among the children.
- Estate Taxes: D.C. imposes an estate tax on estates exceeding a certain value. For 2025, estates valued over $4,873,200 are subject to this tax. The tax rate increases with the estate’s value, reaching up to 16% for estates over $10 million.
- Small Estate Procedures: For estates with minimal assets, simplified procedures may apply, allowing for a more efficient transfer of assets without full probate. Specific thresholds and requirements are outlined in the D.C. Code.
Given the many challenges of estate law in Washington D.C., consulting with an experienced estate planning attorney is advisable to ensure compliance with local laws and to effectively manage your estate planning needs.
Estate Planning Documents and Services We Provide
At The Law Office of Raymond E. Brown, we bring extensive knowledge and experience in estate law to assist clients with a wide array of legal matters related to estate planning. Our firm offers comprehensive services, including the creation and management of essential estate planning documents designed to protect your assets and ensure your wishes are carried out effectively.
Wills and Trusts
Wills and trusts are essential components of the estate planning process, providing a secure framework for protecting your assets and ensuring they are distributed according to your wishes. At The Law Office of Raymond E. Brown, our experienced estate planning team can help you create a Last Will and Testament, allowing you to designate how your property will be divided and name guardians for minor children.
We also specialize in creating and administering different types of trusts to safeguard your assets both during your lifetime and after your passing. As a skilled trust attorney in Washington DC, Raymond Brown can assist with creating a revocable trust, special needs trust, irrevocable trust, bypass trust, and more. Additionally, we provide comprehensive support for trust administration to ensure your trust is properly funded and managed to meet your estate planning goals.
Powers of Attorney
If you’re unable to make important decisions for yourself due to illness or incapacity, a power of attorney allows you to designate a trusted individual to step in and manage your financial affairs, property, or even healthcare decisions when you are unable to do so. This ensures that your interests are protected, and your responsibilities are handled without delay. At The Law Office of Raymond E. Brown, our experienced team can help you create a comprehensive and legally sound healthcare or financial power of attorney document, naming a reliable attorney-in-fact to act on your behalf.
Advance Healthcare Directives
Creating clear and legally binding advance directives is essential to ensure your healthcare preferences are respected in the event of incapacity. These directives include living wills and medical powers of attorney, allowing you to designate a trusted person to make healthcare decisions on your behalf. By working with our Washington D.C. advance directive attorneys, you can gain peace of mind knowing your medical wishes are outlined and legally recognized, providing guidance for loved ones and healthcare providers in difficult situations.
Conservatorship and Guardianship Designations
Raymond Brown and his team also assist clients with Washington D.C. conservatorship and guardianship designations to ensure that their loved ones are cared for in the event of incapacity. We work closely with individuals to establish legal documents that appoint trusted individuals to manage financial and personal decisions for those who cannot do so themselves. By providing clear guidance and personalized solutions, we help families navigate these sensitive matters with confidence, ensuring their loved ones’ best interests are protected.
Probate and Estate Administration
As a trusted probate lawyer and estate administration attorney in Washington D.C., Raymond E. Brown also provides compassionate guidance to families navigating probate after the death of a loved one. He assists with every aspect of estate administration, from validating wills to settling debts and distributing assets according to the decedent’s wishes. With his extensive experience, Raymond ensures that the probate process is handled efficiently and with minimal stress, helping families honor their loved one’s legacy while protecting their legal rights.
Business Successions
When it comes to business succession planning and administration for clients in Washington D.C., our team helps ensure a seamless transition of ownership for limited liability companies and other business structures. We proudly assist clients in creating succession plans that address key aspects of the process, including management transitions, asset protection, and continuity strategies, helping business owners secure their legacy and protect the future of their enterprises for the next generation.
Comprehensive Elder Law Services We Provide
In addition to comprehensive estate planning services, the knowledgeable lawyers at The Law Office of Raymond E. Brown provide compassionate and comprehensive support to address the unique legal needs of seniors and their families. Our Washington D.C. elder law attorneys offer a wide range of services designed to protect assets, ensure long-term care, and provide peace of mind for your loved ones.
Medicaid Planning
If you need help securing coverage for long-term care without depleting your assets, our Medicaid planning lawyers in D.C. can help. We regularly work with families to develop tailored strategies that protect their financial future while ensuring they meet the necessary qualifications for Medicaid benefits. Our goal is to help simplify and streamline the planning process, helping clients access vital healthcare resources while preserving their legacy.
Asset Protection
In every service we provide, our law office is dedicated to helping clients protect their assets through strategic asset protection planning. This includes identifying and securing certain assets, such as real estate, savings, and business interests, from potential risks like creditors, lawsuits, or unforeseen financial challenges. By implementing trusts, legal structures, and other protective measures, Raymond and his team ensure that clients’ wealth is preserved for their families and future generations.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Estate Planning
- Failing to Update Your Estate Plan After Major Life Events: Changes like marriage, divorce, the birth of children, or the passing of a loved one require updates to your estate plan to reflect your current wishes and family situation.
- Not Considering Tax Implications: Neglecting to plan for estate and inheritance tax can lead to significant financial losses for your families and beneficiaries.
- Overlooking Beneficiary Designations: Forgetting to create or update beneficiary designations on accounts like life insurance policies and retirement funds can result in assets being distributed against your wishes.
- Failing to Plan for Minor or Special Needs Beneficiaries: Families with minor children or individuals with special needs should create trusts or guardianship plans to ensure their care and financial support.
- Not Including Healthcare Directives: A comprehensive estate plan should address end-of-life care preferences, such as living wills and powers of attorney for healthcare.
- DIY Estate Planning Without Legal Guidance: Estate planning laws are complex, and relying on generic templates without consulting an estate planning attorney can lead to mistakes or invalid documents.
Avoiding these mistakes with the help of a skilled estate planning attorney like Raymond E. Brown ensures your estate plan is thorough, legally sound, and aligned with your goals.
How to Get Started with Estate Planning
Getting started with estate planning begins by consulting an experienced estates lawyer who can guide you through the process and help tailor a plan to your specific needs. At the Law Offices of Raymond E. Brown, we simplify the initial steps by helping you identify your goals, review your assets, and determine the best strategies to protect your legacy. From drafting wills to setting up trusts and healthcare directives, we ensure every detail is addressed to create a comprehensive estate plan that reflects your wishes.
Why Choose Raymond Brown as Your Washington D.C. Estate Planning Lawyer?
Attorney Raymond Brown is extremely knowledgeable in various estate planning matters, with years of experience helping clients in Washington, D.C. and Maryland navigate the ins and outs of wills, trusts, and estates in general. Whether you need skilled legal guidance to protect your assets, experienced litigation in court, or assistance with creating a plan for your family’s future, an estates attorney at The Law Office of Raymond E. Brown offers individualized solutions and reliable support. With a focus on clarity and thoroughness, we are here to ensure your legacy is protected no matter what.
Contact an Experienced Elder Law and Estates Attorney at The Law Office of Raymond E. Brown
At The Law Office of Raymond E. Brown, we are dedicated to meeting all of our clients’ estate planning needs. With extensive experience serving individuals, families, and businesses across Maryland and the District of Columbia, Raymond Brown works tirelessly on behalf of his clients to protect their assets and create a lasting legacy for future generations.
No matter the matter, we take pride in tailoring our practice to meet your unique goals. Don’t wait—schedule a consultation with an experienced Washington, D.C. estate planning attorney at our law firm today. Simply give us a call at (443) 554-9944 or send us a message online to get started!
